Happy publication day to me! Left For Dead is the third book in the DI Bernie Noel series set in Wiltshire. So far, I’ve had a more rural setting but we’re heading into Swindon this time. And yes, before you ask, the magic roundabout is in there! Here’s the blurb.
The Blurb
The detective stared at the young woman lying on the bed. She almost looked peaceful, her face like porcelain. Despite everything she had been through, she was still beautiful.
When DI Bernie Noel hurries to Keira Howard’s hospital bedside, she knows that Keira has been lucky. Barely conscious and badly injured, at least she is alive. Convinced that Keira’s attack is the latest in a string of increasingly violent assaults on young women in the area, the next victim might not be so fortunate. So she vows to find the man who did this, and to stop him before anyone else gets hurt.
Spurring her team into action, she quickly hones in on a prime suspect. But then he suddenly dies while on police watch, and Bernie’s investigation goes into freefall. When Bernie’s superiors won’t let her take the case any further, her gut instinct tells her there’s much more to his death than meets the eye. If it was murder, who would want him dead, and why? So she determines to set out on her own to find out what happened.
But the closer Bernie comes to discovering the truth, the more she is putting her own life in danger. And with Keira finally strong enough to talk her about her attack, Bernie worries she may be at risk yet again. There’s someone out there who has killed to stay safe in the shadows; can Bernie stop another senseless death, and save Keira, before it’s too late?
I hope that’s tempted you! Now it would be daft for me to do a review of my own book. But there are lots of lovely people out there who’ve had a chance to do so. Here are just a few of my favourite reviews from NetGalley.
Reviews
This was the first #JoyKluver novel I have read and I was really impressed with the style of writing. It kept me on the edge and I finished it in one breath. The case involved was quite complex but it was well written and all the characters involved seemed like the perfect team to work with. In particular, I liked how the author had included the element of autism through the character of LCI Leigh, thus revealing the abilities people with autism possess and how important it is to give them the chance to use those abilities. NetGalley Reviewer 5 stars
There’s just something about this series that I’m loving, it could be because with each case you see how close the characters are, their strengths, and how each character plays an important part for the story. Other thing it could be is that with each turn of the page, I’m always on the edge of my seat wanting to see what happens next and to see if I can figure out who is the bad guy but I never do. I do have to say that this one made me fall more in love with Dougie Anderson, with how he handled himself throughout his own challenging case and how even though things looked bad for him, he was always there for Bernadette. NetGalley Reviewer 5 stars
I am really enjoying this series. Left for Dead is the latest book in the DI Bernadette Noel series by Joy Kluver and I really enjoyed getting back together with Bernie and her team. This time around, as well as having a complex case to investigate, Bernie is also pregnant. This has left her with a lot of complex issues in her relationship with her boyfriend, Dougie. Left for Dead makes for a really intriguing addition to the series.
Bernie and her team face another complex investigation when a young woman has been found after being brutally attacked. It sparks fear that there is a serial predator at work here following a spate of similar attacks on women. It becomes a race against time to track down the woman’s attacker.
What I really liked about this book was how Joy Kluver explored Bernie’s relationship with her boyfriend, Dougie. I thought this development in her character was done really well and I was wondering throughout the book how things are going to pan out for them. This made for an intriguing sub plot and now that I’ve read it’s left me wondering what’s to come in the future.
Another character who Joy Kluver introduces us to is Leigh, who is a new member of the team. Leigh has autism and I thought that Joy Kluver explored this well and sensitively in her writing. I think Leigh makes an excellent addition to the books and I’m looking forward to seeing how her character develops further.
I didn’t expect the twist which came at the end and it really drove the tension up a notch as Bernie and her team raced to bring the case to a conclusion. I thought Joy Kluver wrapped the plot up very well.
I’m really hoping that there are more books to come in this series. It really is becoming one of my favourites. NetGalley Reviewer 5 stars
Joy Kluver has done it again!
DI Bernie Noel is easily one of my favourite literary characters I’ve ever come across. What a treat book 3 is! Such beautifully complicated storylines throughout that finally start to unravel, not to mention a few answers I’ve been waiting for since the first book.
It’s wonderful being back with the team, plus a couple of new people, Leigh was wonderful – so much so I’d love to hear more about her in another book series.
Being a police officer is a hard enough job itself, even harder when you’re heavily pregnant and your partner is also a police officer. It took so long of ‘will they, won’t they’ for Bernie and Dougie to finally get together it was nail-bitingly tense for a while, even when you think things are on track there’s still a chance everything can go wrong.
I’d love to know the rest of their story, hopefully we’ve not see the last of Bernie and the team (Joy – I’m looking at you! Don’t leave me hanging!) NetGalley Reviewer 5 stars
WOW! This certainly is a gripping crime thriller and, I say it again, the best one yet in the DI Bernadette Noel series. At last all the team are working from the same page and no longer is there any angst amongst the ranks. And the developing relationship between Bernie and Dougie is rather sweet and a refreshing change from the usual single workaholic detectives that find themselves alone with a bottle to drown their sorrows. And how the two cases entwined was very clever and even lead me in a different direction. I have to say, Joy Kluver has hoodwinked me yet again because I don’t think I have ever correctly guessed the villain in her books when I easily do in others. And this one was no different. While I did partially guess correctly, I was completely off-base with the rest of it.
LEFT FOR DEAD is a thrilling and addictive fast paced read, made pacier with the delightfully short and snappy chapters. As in most cases with the series, the book leaves us on something of a cliffhanger but in a good way. The ending actually left me with tears in my eyes. Bring on Book 4!! NetGalley Reviewer 5 stars
Thank you to all the reviewers who have left reviews whether you loved the book or not! I appreciate you taking the time to read. If you’d like to buy a copy of the book then click on the links below
Amazon: https://geni.us/B09LD81BV4social
Apple: http://ow.ly/1XIh50GLai2
Kobo: http://ow.ly/9tRY50GLaeY
Google: http://ow.ly/bHtb50GLasp
Thank you in advance to all the bloggers taking part in the #LeftForDead blog tour. As a blogger myself, I know the time and effort it takes in putting a post together. So check out the tour this week!
Tomorrow I’m having an online launch on my Facebook author page and you’re all welcome to join! Rod Reynolds is going to be asking me some questions and there’ll be some giveaways too (UK entries only – sorry!) Join us at 7.30pm GMT on Tuesday 11th January on https://www.facebook.com/joykluverauthor
Hope you can join us!
joykluver 